Dublin City University is situated between Glasnevin, Santry, Ballymun and Whitehall on the Northside of Dublin. Created as the National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin in 1975, it enrolled its first students in 1980 and was elevated to university status in 1989.

The university currently has around 6,000 undergraduate students, more than 600 research postgraduates and 1,800 taught postgraduate students.